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by RosieClark



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Big brother Shiro, Character Death, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Hurt Lance, Implied Relationships, Langst, Oneshot, Sacrifice, Sad Ending, hurt pidge, over protective matt, plance, plangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 23:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16418030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosieClark/pseuds/RosieClark
Summary: Staring death in the face, Lance and Katie count down the moments starting from ten.





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**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> Here's some more plangst for you guys. I don't know why I do this. Anyways, I've been wanting to experiment with flashbacks, so here you go!
> 
> -Rosie

Lance’s footsteps pounded through the hallways of the Galra cruiser. Although the others had stayed behind to give him cover, he wasn’t sure how much time he had.

 

“Pidge!” Lance called out. “Pidge where are you?”

 

_“What do you mean she’s gone?” Lance rounded on Shiro. “You were supposed to protect her!”_

 

_“You think he didn’t try?” Keith countered. “Don’t you think he feels bad enough?”_

 

_Hunk came over, and wrapped an arm around Lance. “Don’t worry buddy. We’ll get her back.”_

 

That had been a week ago. Fear tugged at his gut. What if he was too late? As he rounded the corner, he stopped to see three galra centuries blocking his pathway, blasters in hand. Lance rolled to cover, and pulled out his bayard, the Altean weapon morphing into a shotgun. Shots singed the wall beside him and Lance fires twice. Silence follows. He poked his head out from behind the metal beam.

 

Two galra fighters lie motionless on the ground, the third just standing there. _That's why they call me the sharpshooter,_ he thinks smugly to himself. Wanting to avoid possible bloodshed, Lance approached, the third soldier wearily. The galra turned to look at him.

 

“Hi.” Lance raised a hand in greeting. “Can you point me to the prison cells?” The galra looked at him, his head cocked. “You see, I’m looking for the love of my life, Pidge. Maybe you’ve seen her? Nerdy, big coffee eyes, messy hair, short, weird gre-”

 

“Who are you calling short _Tailor_?” Lance almost dropped his bayard. The galra took of his, no wait, her mask.

 

“Katie?” Lance ran to the small girl, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He felt her stiffen at his touch. He drew back, his worried eyes scanning her for injuries.

 

“Lance.” Pidges eyes lacked their usual sparkle, and her voice was cold. As much as she wanted to hold him, it would be unfair on her part. She took a step back, bracing herself for what she had to do next. “Fight me.”

 

Lance let out a bark of laughter. “Fight you?” He grabbed her hand. “After I just got you back? No way Jose. We have to get back to the castle.”

 

“I’m not going back to the castle.” Lance stopped.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean,” Pidge put her hands on her blaster, swallowing her fear. Her regret. “I’m not going back to the castle.” The blue paladin let out an uneasy laugh.

 

“That’s not funny babe. Lets go before reinforcements come.” He looked at her expectantly, hiding the fear that was creeping in.

 

“I’m sorry Lance.” Pidge grunted. Her hands shook as she aimed at Lace’s chest, and fired.

 

Lance thanked the gods for his quick reflexes. As Pidge’s laser shot at him, he jumped to the side, confusion and worry filling his head. “Katie, what the hell?”

 

Pidge grimaced. She had missed. She aimed again. Lance was staring at her, blue eyes the size of dinner plates, hands extended in a plea for her to stop. “I’m sorry Lance, I have to do this.”

 

_Bullshit._ Lance knew it, and she did too. As she fired again, Lance wondered what the galra had over her head. What they were using as leverage. Before she could shoot at him again, he tackled her to the ground, pinning her beneath him.

 

“What is it?” He asked, concern written all over his face. She struggled beneath him. “Is it new technology? Did they threaten us? You?” Pidge shook her head, her eyes lined with silver. “Your dad?” Her silence has the only answer he needed. He brought up a hand to caress her face. “Don’t worry Pidgeon. He’s going to be fine, I promise.”

 

A look of shock crossed Pidge’s face. In the blink of an eye, she brought her knee up, hitting him in the groin. Lance let out a grunt of pain. Pidge slipped out from under him and stood, her blaster at the ready.   
  


“No, he’s not.” Her voice sounded hoarse and broken. As if she knew something he didn’t. “They made sure I could hear. Every scream that broke from his mouth as they snapped his fingers one by one. Making sure he’ll never code again.” Lance stared at the girl before him, at the horrors flooding her vision. He had no idea. She continued, her voice getting smaller and smaller. “They burned out his eyes Lance, his _eyes._ And all the while, they told me, you can stop this Katie. You can end his pain. All you have to do is ki-” Her voice broke on that last word. She looked up at Lance, sorrow in her face. Lance nodded.

 

“All you have to do is kill your fellow paladins.” Pidge shook with silent sobs, taking a moment to regain her composure. Lance smiled weakly. His blue orbs were filled with understanding.

 

Slowly, the blue paladin lowered his arms, and relaxed his stance. He knew what he had to do. There was no way in hell he would hurt her. Pidge’s eyes widened.

 

“Lance, what are you doing?” There was a slight tremble in her voice. Dread crept its way into her stomach as Katie realized what he was thinking. Lance put his bayard down. He knelt on his knees and looked Pidge straight in the eyes.

 

“I’m not going to fight you Katie.” The words hit her like a brick wall. She couldn't do this. Not if he was defenseless. Not when she knew he could easily overpower her. Pidge swallowed, tears filling her honey eyes. She wiped them away, taking a step forwards.

 

“Put your hands back up Lance. This isn’t a joke!” She slapped him across the face. Her tears were falling freely. ”God damnit Lance, fight back!” Pidge shouted.

 

“No.” His chest clenched seeing her like this. He wanted to hold her, and tell her he would be okay, and that everything would be fine, but he couldn’t. He just stared.

 

Pidge fired a shot just above his shoulder. No reaction.

 

“Please.” Barely more than a broken whisper. Lance smiled sadly, and shook his head.

 

“It’s okay Katie. I’ll be okay.” He closed his eyes, and waited, his decision made.

 

_I’m sorry_ , Katie thought. _I wish we could have had more time. I wanted to travel to the edge of the universe with you._

 

“Katie?” Lance’s voice dragged her out of her thoughts.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Can you count down for me?” Pidge furrowed her brow. A countdown? “I just…” Lance waved his arms around, looking for an explanation. “I hate not knowing.” Pidge swallowed roughly. Her bottom lip trembled.

 

“Yeah, I can do that.” It was the least she could do. Lance smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling with unshed tears.

 

“Thanks.” As Lance leaned back on his heels, Katie crushed her lips to his. So many unspoken words were passed as their tongues twirled, and their teeth clashed. Their tears mixed. Slowly, she drew away, standing up.

 

Arms trembling, Katie Holt lowered her mask, and raised her blaster.

 

“Ten”

 

_“Come on Pidge! We’re going to be late!” Lance yelled over his shoulder._

 

_“It’s not my fault I have short legs!” Pidge panted, already out of breath. Lance sighed and turned, facing his fellow paladin. In one fell swoop, he picked her up over his shoulder, and started running again._

 

_“Hey!” Pidge let out a cry of protest, kicking her legs. “Put me down!” Lance was glad she couldn’t see his smirk._

 

_“Nope!” Pidge squealed as Lance spun her around once before continuing to run to the castle._

 

“Nine”

 

_Pidge had always seen Lance as “just a friend”. When they had first met at the Garrison, she had found him annoying and obnoxious. The very person she would have wanted to steer clear of. But, as time went on, she found herself drawn into an incredibly unique friendship with the blue paladin._

 

_“Oh come on Pidge, you’ll do great!” Pidge was biting her lower lip, and staring at her toes. She really didn’t want to go on stage. Coran had organized yet another “Informational Gathering”, as he called it. Basicly, everyone had to deliver a speech in pairs. She was stuck with Lance._

 

_“I don’t wanna.” Pidge mumbled. “Their going to laugh at me.” Lance chuckled._

 

_“No they won’t. Pidge, you’re the smartest person I know. When you talk about technology, your eyes get this shine to them, and you look so beautiful.” He flashed her a dimpled smile. “Come on. Lets go rattle the stars.”_

 

_Pidge had always thought of Lance as a friend. Or at least, she did. Staring at Lance with his blue eyes shining, teeth grinning, and hand extended, she felt her heart take a double take._

 

_Oh quiznak._

 

“Eight”

 

_Lance was sure Pidge was avoiding him. She skipped on their late night video game sessions, their one on one training, and even stopped feeding Kaltenecker with him. He didn’t think he would miss her, but he did._

 

_“I don’t know what to do Hunk!” Lance exclaimed into his pillow later that night._

 

_“Just give her time.” Hunk replied, happily munching on his latest creation. “I’m sure she’s not mad, and it’s just a big misunderstanding.”_

 

_“Sure.” Lance groaned, not convinced. “Time.”_

 

“Seven”  
  


 

_“Pidge, why have you been avoiding me?” Pidge stopped mid-step, and turned slowly._

 

_“I haven’t Lance, I’ve just been super busy.” Lance snorted, and crossed his arms._

 

_“Yeah right. Super busy for the past four months. What did I do?” Pidge felt her chest clench slightly. She sighed, and slumped against the wall._

 

_“Nothing Lance, you did nothing.”_

 

_“Then why won’t you speak to me?”_

 

_“Because I-” She took a deep breath. “Because I might like you’re stupid face.” Lance looked like he was hit by a car. “And I know you’ll never feel the same way about me, so let's just forget this conversation never happened.” She hurried on. Lance was still gaping when she turned and left, barely containing the tears until she reached her room._

 

“Six”

 

_“Pidge, we have to get out of here, now!” Shiro yelled over the coms. Pidge swore under her breath,_

 

_“I need five more minutes.” There was screaming and shooting all around her. The loading bar was at ninety eight percent._

 

_“Pidge! Behind you!” The green paladin turned at Keith’s warning, just in time to see a galra soldier fire his blaster. She turned away, bracing her body for impact. It never came. Opening her eyes, she saw Lance, armor pierced by the laser meant for her._

 

_Pidge paced by the healing pod. That stupid idiot was going to get himself killed. Why did he take that shot for her? Why would he do that? She was jerked out of her thoughts by the hiss of the pod sliding open._

 

_“Pidge?” Lance murmured. Pidge ran over, and squeezed him tightly, breathing in his scent._

 

_“Lance, you scared the quiznak out of me.” Her voice was muffled by his shirt. Pulling back, she held his face in her hands. “Why would you take that shot for me?”_

 

_Lance gave her a lazy smile, leaning into her touch._

 

_“I think I might like your stupid face too.”_

 

“Five”

 

_“Guys, we have an announcement.” Lance looked nervously at Pidge, who nodded. “Pidge, no wait, Katie and I are dating.”_

 

_“About quiznacking time” Said Keith, smirking at them._

 

_“I’m so happy for you” Allura said, a huge smile forming on her lips._

 

_“I thought it would never happen” Hunk got up to hug them,_

 

_“Dating? Is that like Altean Swamp Dancing?” Coran had asked with a confused look on his face._

 

_Everyone turned to Shiro and Matt, the two that had remained silent. Lance gulped._

 

_“I’m glad you sorted things out-,” Shiro began, flexing his muscles in a not so discreet way._

 

_“But you hurt her, we hurt you” Matt finished, cracking his knuckles._

 

_Pidge snorted._

 

“Four”

 

_“Pidge?” The green paladin looked up from her coding, an eyebrow arched._

 

_“Yes Lance?”_

 

_“I’m cold” Pidge rolled her eyes, and tried her best to look disappointed. Lance smiled._

 

_“You’re such a dork.”_  
  
“But I’m your dork” Pidge laughed as she put down her laptop. She lay on her side, Lance lying beside her. One of his arms was under her head, the other resting lazily on her waist. Their legs were tangled, and his chin was perched on her head. She inhaled deeply, breathing his sent, drifting off to sleep.

 

“Three”

 

_Lance looked at Pidge, drowning in his jacket. Her hair was a mess, and her glasses were ascue, but to him, she never looked more beautiful._

 

_“I love you.” Pidge blushed._

 

_“I love you too.”_

 

“Two”

 

_“Katrina Holt, will you marry me?” Pidge gaped at Lance, on one knee, ring in hand. He was smiling at her. She smiled back._

 

_“Of course you dummy.”_

 

“One.”

 

Lance closed his eyes, and readied himself. _Mama, papa, gracias for todo_.

 

Pidge choked out a sob, her finger on the trigger. Imsorrylanceimsorryimsorryimsorr-

 

Bang, bang, bang ,bang. Four shots echoed through the hallway.

 

Lance opened his eyes. He felt his body, no sign of any injury. He looked at Katie. Or at where she should be standing. Instead, his eyes met Keith’s, the red paladin standing a few feet away, his steaming bayard in his hand. Dread filled Lance’s gut.

 

They say when you lose something dear to you, time slows down. For Lance, it stopped completely. An eerie silence filled his head as he looked down. There, on the floor was Pidge. His Pidge. There was blood seeping from under her. Her small body was convulsing with each laboured breath she took. Her mask still covered her face. Lance couldn’t move. He could only watch in horror as Pidge stopped moving. As her chest rose, fell, and didn’t rise again. All at once, time caught up with him. He let out an anguished cry.

 

“What were you doing?” Keith was yelling at him. “Just kneeling and waiting for some Galra scum to kill you?”

 

The snarl Lance let out was nothing human. Keith actually took a step back.

 

“What the fuck did you do?” Lance’s eyes were filled with pure rage. Keith gave him a confused glare.

 

“I just saved your fucking life. Don’t thank me or anything.” His voice was heavily laced with sarcasm.

 

“You think you saved my life? Well you just ruined it!” Lance crawled to where Pidge lay, and gently removed her helmet. Her skin was pale, a trickle of blood making it’s way down her chin.  He could hear Keith dry heaving, swearing under his breath.

 

“Katie,” Lance’s voice was hoarse. “Don’t be dead.” The girl remained unmoving, red staining her galra armour. Lance shook her. “Katie, baby, please. Don’t leave me alone, I can’t do this without you.” The girl in her arms stared into space, unseeing. Lance shook with rage and grief. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, her cold skin pressing against his tear stained cheek.

 

“Lance?” A hand touched his shoulder, and he flinched. Keith’s voice was grief stricken. “Lance, I didn’t know. I just thought that sh-”

 

“Get away from me.” Lance growled. He stood up, picking up Pidge’s body with him, and began walking to the lions. How he didn’t run into any galra soldiers was anyone's guess. Lance doubted he would have felt if he was shot. A cold sensation was making its way through his body.

 

Lance was unfeeling.

 

Unliving.

 

Numb.

**Author's Note:**

> (Did anyone catch my Throne of Glass quote?)


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